Wednesday, August 1, 2012

50 Days Part 3 - A Style Makeover

In 50 Days To Change My Life Part 1, I showed you what I didn't want to look like on my 50th Birthday in 50 days time (including pictures of one of the offensive tshirts). In Part 2 - Fad Diets, I told you how I was going to tackle the weight loss thing. The weight loss thing, due to my doing it so sensibly (i.e. slowly), is beginning to be very frustrating. I could see that familiar giving up point on the near horizon. Something had to change now! I needed instant gratification and a boost to my morale. So obviously I went shopping.

I've hardly bought any clothes in the past five years because I was always waiting to get back into the smaller sizes I have in my wardrobe. My sister once advised me to buy nice clothes in the bigger sizes so that you at least feel good about yourself (and have things to wear) while you work on getting slimmer. Good advice. I ignored it - waste of money.

The clothes I have bought over the past few years are mostly giant tshirts in the summer sales to cover up giant me. I remember, about 25 years ago, I bumped into a sophisticated and glamourous friend in the supermarket. I wasn't too badly dressed. I had on a black skirt and a big salmon coloured cotton sweater. However, my coat was bright green. Salmon and green!?! I told a (male) friend on the phone, how shlumperdiken I felt with my bright green coat on and I will always remember his answer. "The point is not that you accidently wore the bright green coat with the salmon jumper. The point is that SHE wouldn't even own a salmon jumper or a bright green coat. Get rid of them both!"

I feel this way about tshirts. I once met a friend in the restaurant at the Cinemateque. You can't get more sophisticated in Jerusalem than the restaurant at the Cinemateque. (I once sat on the next table to Debra Winger and two tables away from Phyllida Law.) I was wearing, among other things, a tshirt. It was not sophisticated. She was not wearing a tshirt. It occured to me that this friend doesn't even own any tshirts. I vowed never to wear a tshirt again. Have you noticed how I'm not very good at keeping vows?

But now that I'm desperate, with only 34 days to go until the big 5-0, I decided not to wait for the elusive size Y (mind your own business), ditch the tshirts and go shopping for floaty, feminine, sophisticated and glamourous togs. As usual I ended up in my favourite shop - Hagara - and bought two summer dresses. For someone who's been living in jeans/leggings and tshirts for the past ages, this was a big step.

Here's a little detail of the red one like they show in the fashion magazines.

When it gets cooler (and for religious occasions where more modesty is required) you can pair both dresses up with cotton cardigans and/or leggings.

I thought of getting my hair cut but it's actually cooler in this heat to be able to scrape it all back and put it up. And that doesn't look wholly unsophisticated.

Like the button details on the red one - still think you need to get a fitted number for special occasions. Fitted works well on the larger frame it shows you have confidence even if you don't and gives you shape. That is your mission. Do you accept? x

Those dresses are fabulous, and look even better with the cardigans! I am sure you'll look wonderful in them. I am very impressed with all these self-esteem enhancing things you are doing for yourself!

I left a long reply yest and can't find it! I think the dresses are great and you are looking fab - like you've really lost weight coz it's come off your face. I can't remember ev else - soemthing about wearing make up really helps and people treat you differently! Anyway, countdown looking on track for you X

Good for you! I've just started thinking about the dreaded diet/losing weight thing once again. Heavy sigh. Looking over my photos of me in Italy recently I was quite shocked to see that the weight has just crept on and pushed me over into the next size up. The size I said I'd never go to. So, I either never buy clothes again, or I lose weight. Love your dresses, they are really lovely and great colours and perfect for mixing and matching for trans-seasonal wear. Good for you! Vix x

Thanks Vix. The only good thing about buying clothes here is they have sizings from 1 (small) to 5 (very big). These numbers do not carry the pride, satisfaction or shame that the 10s, 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s in M&S evoke. 1 - 5 is basically meaningless.

About

At the age of 46 and four years after I started the IVF process, I brought home my beautiful DD. This a blog about a woman for whom not being a mother was unacceptable. Add to the mix that I'm also an Expat, Jewish, British, Israeli (sort of), Single, a Teacher, a Writer, a Homemaker, and you have Midlife Singlemum.

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All texts and most photographs on this blog are the copyright of Rachel Selby. I sometimes use photographs from Google or Pinterest. I try to always give credit but if I have infringed anyone's copyright please let me know.